Diamond saw blades are made by bonding diamond grits to the steel body of the blade to create a tougher, more resilient blade that’s suited to cutting even the hardest of materials. Before you read ahead, if you want to learn more about what diamond blades are and what they are used for, you can read our Complete Guide to Diamond Blades blog . There we look at what diamond blades are, considerations to be made before using them, and how to get the best from your diamond blades.The steel core is typically a flat metal disc that’s purpose is to support the outer segments. The steel core is usually attached to the segment, the cutting part where the diamond is located, using one of the following methods . The type of blade being produced will influence the choice of method.This process is often used for lower cost and higher quantity diamond saw blades. It is better suited to create diamond blades intended to use dry cutting softer materials and low horsepower equipment. This is because the method is best for creating smaller, sharper blades.Laser welding creates a stronger attachment to the blade core, making it ideal for diamond blades used for wet cutting harder materials to a higher depth and higher horsepower equipment. Steel blade cores used with this method are thicker, precision ground, heat-treated and tensioned. This means they are less susceptible to bending and flexing stress from the heavier machinery and usage.The segment, the cutting part of the blade, is made up of two parts. The first is the diamond crystals, and the second is the bonding system that holds them in place and creates the correct wear rate for the intended use.In diamond saw blades, synthetic or manufactured diamonds are preferred to natural. This is because there is more control over the size, shape and strength of synthetic diamonds, meaning they provide better control during the manufacturing process. This control means a more accurate prediction of the cutting speed and precision of the resulting diamond blade. It also helps consistent recreation of these qualities.The intended use of the blade will dictate the quantity of diamond used. The more diamond used in a blade, the higher the amount of horsepower needed for the blade to effectively cut. For example, a blade intended for use cutting materials like concrete will feature more diamonds than one intended for use cutting ceramics. Since the harder materials often require more tools with more horsepower, more diamonds are necessary for an effective diamond blade.The quality of the diamond used in diamond blades will determine the diamonds ability to resist heat and maintain sharpness. Superior diamonds will have better longevity, maintaining sharpness at a higher temperature.Diamond sizes are specified in mesh ranges, such as 25-35 or 50-60. A higher number in mesh size indicates a finer individual diamond particle. Whilst coarser diamond particles will be better for cutting asphalt and red brick, finer diamond particles will serve well for cutting very hard materials like quartz.The bond that holds the diamond particles in place within the blade is created from a mixture of metal powders. Different metal powders are combined in particular ratios to achieve specific wear rates. The right wear rate will ensure that the diamond particles are held in place for just long enough to achieve maximum wear. They will then release them to expose the next layer of diamond particles beneath. Soft bonds, that wear quickly, would be made up of soft metal powders such as bronze. These are best for cutting materials like ceramics and porcelain, which are very hard but less abrasive. Hard bonds, that wear slowly, would be made up of hard metals like tungsten carbide. These are best for cutting materials like asphalt, which are generally soft but very abrasive. Remember that opposites attract; for hard but less abrasive materials, a softer bond is best. Vice versa, for materials that are soft but more abrasive, a harder bond is best.The key thing to remember about how diamond saw blades work: they don’t cut, they grind. The diamonds do all the work in a diamond blade. They grind through the material whilst the metal bond holds them in place. The rotation of the blade allows the diamonds to grind through the material, turning the material it grinds into a fine powder. After extended use, around several thousand rounds of the blade, the diamonds will begin to fracture and the bond holding them in place will begin to wear away. This will then lead to this layer of diamond particles breaking away and mixing with the fine dust produced in the grinding process. The erosion of the diamond particles and bond will expose a new layer of sharp diamond particles. This new layer will then begin the cycle again. The cycle continues until all layers of diamond particles have been exhausted.The method of production for each diamond saw blade will depend on its intended use. The process used to make a diamond blade for cutting ceramics will differ from that intended to cut concrete. A diamond blade for cutting ceramics, for example, will require fewer and finer diamond particles than a diamond blade for concrete. The process of production is also more likely to use vacuum brazed or sintered attachment, whereas a diamond blade for concrete will likely use the laser-welded attachment. The combination of techniques and materials does depend on what material the blade will be used to saw.At CMT, we are proud stockists of OTEC Diamond Cutting Blades. The OTEC Diamond blades will provide a superior cut time and time again With a huge range of blades for all different materials, we are confident that you’ll find the right diamond blade for the task you need to tackle. Whether you are looking for a blade that can cut ceramics, porcelain and granite cleanly and crisply or something that can handle concrete and asphalt with ease, browse the range to find the OTEC blade to get the job done.
In the cutting tools industry, and Top Tech Diamond Tools, synthetic diamonds are used for creating and developing high-performance diamond cutting tools for cutting, turning, drilling, and others to maximize the cutting capability. So, how many types of synthetic diamonds, and how can they be used in the cutting industry?
MCD stands for “Monocrystalline Diamond”. MCD is the single synthetic crystal diamond that has yellow-ish color on the outside. It has the hardness value of 9,000 kgf/mm2, which comes with abrasion resistance, pressure and high impact resistance. Also, MCD has very high heat conduction than tungsten carbide.
Most cutting tools that contain MCD are great for turning or finishing works that need a high polished surface. However, MCD is not suitable for cutting a metal workpiece that contains iron or CFRP because when cutting iron, this usually causes high heat, which is 700-1000°C. This level of heat can melt MCD, and cause abrasion faster. Compared to PCD, cutting tools that contain MCD have a tool life that is 3-10 times more than cutting tools with PCD, but MCD causes manufacturing cost that is 4 times more than PCD.
PCD stands for “Polycrystalline Diamond”. PCD is made from diamond grits which are fused together in high-pressure and high-temperature condition. PCD has a very high hardness of 5,000 kgf/mm2. With this level of hardness, PCD comes with high abrasion resistance, pressure resistance and shockproof. PCD also has higher heat conduction than tungsten carbide.
However, as well as MCD, PCD is weak when cutting metal that contains iron because when cutting iron that causes high heat of 700°C or more, this causes “thermal instability” that impacts the quality of PCD tools in the long run, and causes PCD tools to be less resistant to abrasion.
CBN stands for “Cubic Boron Nitride”, which has a cubic-shape crystal. CBN diamond is great for cutting metal that contains iron because when making CBN diamond, Carbon is replaced with Boron and Nitrogen. This causes CBN diamond to be very resistant to high cutting heat of 1300°C. Therefore, it is an optimum choice for using CBN cutting tools for cutting workpieces that contain iron.
However, when compared to PCD or a natural diamond, CBN diamond has a hardness value of 56 GPa (In Knoop Hardness Measurement), while a natural diamond has a hardness value of 90 GPa (In Knoop Hardness Measurement), which is more than CBN diamond.
CVD stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition. CVD diamond is produced by sediments from the chemical vapor. This diamond has the same hardness value as MCD diamond, which is 9,000 kgf/mm2.
However, as well as MCD and PCD, CVD diamond is great for non-iron cutting because when cutting that causes high heat, this causes the CVD diamond to melt, and shortens the CVD tool life. Compared to PCD, CVD tools have 2-10 times more tool life, and can perform 35% better than PCD tools.
MCD, PCD, CBN or even CVD are used for creating sharp and high quality diamond cutting tools that can cut harder materials. These synthetic diamonds are very optimum to cutting tools in various aspects;
With the high hardness from these synthetic diamonds that are harder than regular metals, they can be used for sharpening the cutting edge(s) of the cutting tools to cut hard materials like iron, metal, stainless, etc.
With the hardness, toughness of these diamonds that are very optimum for cutting tools, they can greatly increase the tool life of the cutting tools, which can use longer than regular cutting tools, or even carbide cutting tools.
For massive production for machine parts in ten-thousand or hundred-thousand pieces, using diamond tools like PCD or CBN tools, which make cutting easier, faster, and can be used longer than regular cutting tools, can greatly reduce manufacturing cost for the long run.
These synthetic diamonds are used for creating diamond cutting tools for various applications;
We can use synthetic diamonds, especially PCD diamond, to sharpen the cutting edges of the drilling bits for better drilling. This can also extend the tool life of these PCD drills.
As well as drilling, these synthetic diamonds can be used to strengthen and sharpen the cutting blades for better cutting, and tool life extension.
We can use PCD diamond or CBN diamond by adding at the tip of inserts to sharpen the cutting tools for turning. However, you need to carefully choose the right materials for cutting. If you work with workpieces that contain iron, then CBN diamond is more suitable than PCD.
As well as other cutting works, these synthetic diamonds are used for sharpening the cutting edge(s) of milling bits. This also increases the tool life of these cutting tools.
Synthetic diamonds come with various types, which are suitable for different conditions. If we use them properly, we can maximize the performance of the cutting tools to the next level. Also, you can extend the tool life, and reduce manufacturing cost of the cutting tools. Top Tech Diamond Tools offers high quality diamond cutting tools from PCD, MCD, CBN and CVD diamonds for high quality cutting process to meet customer’s satisfaction in every aspect.
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